Developing Father-Inclusive Parenting Strategies

Fatherhood Institute Checklist

To support the development of father-inclusive local parenting strategies

The purpose of this guidance note (written by the Fatherhood Institute in consultation with DCSF) is to support local authorities and children’s trusts in developing parenting support services which are effective at strengthening father-child relationships. It will be relevant to those responsible for the commissioning and/or delivery of services for parents, and those involved in the development of Children and Young People’s Plans.

It is essential that local authoritiesadopt a strategic and joined-up approach to fulfilling Government policies on engaging with fathers and supporting their relationships with their children, in your Parenting Strategies and Children and Young People's Plans. Local authorities should review on an ongoing basis how effective these strategies are at engaging with and supporting fathers. Local Children and Young People's Plans should be updated annually; and, as Parenting Strategies are part of these Plans, these should also be reviewed and updated every year.

Government policies are clear about the need for services for children and their families to be father-inclusive:

  • The Children’s Plan stresses that, since children benefit enormously from having strong relationships with their fathers, there is a “need for public services to engage with both father and mother except where there is a clear risk to the child to do so” [Box 1.1];
  • Every Parent Matters states that,“irrespective of the degree of involvement they have in the care of their children, fathers should be offered routinely the support and opportunities they need to play their parental role effectively”. [Para3.11].

These overall requirements should be reflected throughout local parenting strategies, and this Guidance Note indicates the key areas to be addressed.

For a brief summary of Government policy requirements on father-inclusiveness and for sources of further information and advice, see the Annex.

All the materialin this Note is based on DCSF policy statements. A more detailed and referenced description of the current policy framework is available for download at

1. Informing and involving fathers

To support their children’s wellbeing and health, both mothers and fathers need accessible and useful information, and services which are easy to navigate and treat them as partners. This means systematic engagement with fathers by all staff in all maternity and children’s services.

Do you?

provide information that is sensitive to the needs of fathers and specifically designed to reach them – not just targeted at “parents”

offer services at times that fit with fathers’ working patterns

locate servicesin places parents - fathers as well as mothers - routinely use and feel comfortable in

offer universal services that are responsive to the particular needs of fathers, including lone and non-resident fathers, as well as offering some services specifically for men

ensure universalservicesdo not have an overtly female culture amongst staff and service users

routinely record both parents’ contact details, particularly on registration forms, including parents living at different addresses

reach out especially to fathers with a low sense of entitlement to use services, e.g.minority ethnic, young and non-resident fathers

train and provide guidelines to all staff in engaging fathers and supporting father-child relationships

monitor andevaluate the effectiveness of services in engaging fathers and supporting father-child relationships, especially in vulnerable groups

consult with fathers in ways they find accessible.

2. Supporting father-child relationships in vulnerable families

Vulnerable families - those with multiple and complex problems, or at risk of developing them, in which the parents may struggle to support their children’s health and wellbeing - may need extra specialist help, which should be systematically targeted at fathers as well as mothers.

Do you?

provide home visiting and other outreach services that are targeted at both fathers and mothers, even if living separately

ensure your early intensive interventions systematically engage and support both fathers and mothers, whether living together or apart

integrate children’s and adult services to ensure that families with complex needs receive a whole family package of support, with a key worker for the most vulnerable families

use the Common Assessment Framework to signpostfathers with identified needs to appropriate universal and targeted services

provide effective assessment and intervention with fathers in families where there are child protection concerns

train and provide guidelines for all staff in engaging fathers and supporting father-child relationships in vulnerable families

3. Supporting stability and coping with family breakdown

Effective, accessible services must be available to support both fathers and mothersin times of stress and instability, and following family breakdown.

Do you?

identify early, through universal services, families at risk of relationship breakdown and signpost fathers, mothers and their children to appropriate local specialist services

provide universal and targeted services that support lone and non-resident mothers and fathers, and also enable children to maintain appropriate, regular contact with both parents post-separation

train and provide guidelines for all staff in supporting separating and separated fathers and mothers

4. Promoting fathers’ involvement in their children’s learning

In order to support children’s learning effectively, all schools need to reach out to and work in partnership with all mothers and fathers, including non-resident parents, lone parents and working parents.

Do you?

provide information and family learning in ways that specifically target and involve fathers, including non-resident fathers

ensure your Parent Support Advisers work routinely and effectively with both fathers and mothers, whether or not living together, to improve children’s behaviour and school attendance

consult with parents and handle complaints in ways that involve both fathers and mothers

record contact details of all parents living apart from their children, report systematically to them, and remain responsive to the needs of separating and separated parents

train and provide guidelines for all school staff in engaging fathers and supporting father-child relationships

5. Workforce Development

The quality of the workforce is crucial to delivering on the Government’s aspirations for children.

Do you?

recruit, induct and provide continuing professional development for the whole children’s workforce so thatstaffhave the confidence and skills to engage with fathers and support father-child relationships – even if the father is not visible to the service or not living with the child - and understand that this is a core part of their role.

target men when recruiting into the children’s workforce

6. Usinggender-specific language in local Parenting Plans

In your strategy, do you?

explicitly define the phrase“parents and carers” to include both men and women – whether resident or not with the child, and whether or not they have Parental Responsibility

refer explicitly to mothers, fathers and carers regularly throughout the strategy and ensure that the word “parent” is only used when it specifically means both mothers and fathers.

Annex: Key Requirements from Government Policy and Legislation

The Children’s Plan stresses that, since children benefit enormously from having strong relationships with their fathers, there is a “need for public services to engage with both father and mother except where there is a clear risk to the child to do so” [CP Box 1.1].

This father-inclusive approach builds on the agenda set out in Every Parent Matters (EPM): “Father-child relationships – be they positive, negative or lacking – have profound and wide ranging impacts on children that last a lifetime” [EPM 2.2] (this research is summarized in The costs and benefits of active fatherhood, at

Therefore, “Irrespective of the degree of involvement they have in the care of their children, fathers should be offered routinely the support and opportunities they need to play their parental role effectively. [EPM 3.11, 3.27; emphases added].

Local strategies also need to meet the requirements of the Gender Equality Duty in The Equality Act (2006), which puts a new obligation on public bodies to “promote” gender equality, to ensure that public services effectively meet the needs of both women and men. The Act requires bodies that commission children’s services to:

  • publish an action plan for promoting gender equality
  • at the point of commissioning, carry out a gender impact assessment to assess the differential impact of the service on women and men
  • gather information on how services impact on men and women respectively, and consult with men and women who use services, in ways they find accessible.

These overall requirements should be reflected throughout local parenting strategies. The rest of this briefing indicates the key areas to be addressed.

Further Support and Information

The Fatherhood Institute (formerly Fathers Direct) is available to help you meet the challenges and make the most of the opportunities presented by the policy requirements described above. We offer a variety of consultancy and training options, and a range of publications, more details on which can be found on our website:

  • strategic training and consultancy:
  • practitioner training:
  • workers’ helpline:
  • publications:

For an exploratory conversation, please call us on 0845 634 1328, or email .

David Bartlett

Fatherhood Institute